You have several options for sending files from your Mac. In this article, we’ll show you how sending files with AirDrop to a nearby Mac, iPad or iPhone, how the Mail Drop service works, and how to easily share files from apps in macOS with others.
The terms send and share are often used interchangeably. Basically we are talking about sending when you send a file to someone, think of a regular email. In most cases, sharing a file means that you can work on the same file with several people or that a folder is shared, such as a folder in Dropbox that you share with a colleague. In practice, however, software manufacturers use these terms interchangeably and sharing can mean sending and vice versa.
Send as e-mail
The Finder is the central place where you find all your files. This will be the place from which you most often want to send files to others. To send a file, right click on it and choose Part (look, here we go …). The most commonly used option is to for Mail to choose. The macOS mail program opens and the file is immediately attached to an e-mail. All you have to do is write the email and send it. This option does not only apply to an individual file, you can also send entire folders this way. Of course it is not useful to send files that are too large with e-mail, although macOS has a smart function called Mail Drop; more about this later.
Other shipping and sharing options
You will also find a few other options in the share menu. If you want to send a file or photo in a message to someone’s iPhone, choose the option here Messages. You will also find the options to transfer files to the apps in the share menu Notes or Memories to send. This is useful if, for example, you have taken a screenshot and want to save it including a small text as a note in the Notes app. By default, the note including text is saved as a new note in iCloud. So you have immediate access to this file on all your connected iCloud devices. You will also find the option in the share menu Add to Photos, if you have selected at least one image. The image is copied to your Photos library without opening the app.
AirDrop
The last option in the share menu is called AirDrop. This is a feature that is very useful for transferring files and photos between Mac computers and Apple mobile devices such as iPhone and iPad. AirDrop works with bluetooth and wifi and you must have these functions enabled on both devices. On a Mac you will find both parts in the menu bar, on iOS you swipe up and check if both the WiFi and the Bluetooth icons are blue. Once it establishes a connection, a so-called peer-to-peer network is created between these devices. The file is then transferred from one device to another via a fast WiFi connection. When creating this network, both devices also create a firewall for the connection and the file is sent encrypted. This all happens within a fraction of a second. The advantage of sending with AirDrop is that you don’t need a router or WiFi connection.
Select Share, AirDrop and a pop-up screen will appear. All nearby devices that support AirDrop can be selected here. Select the correct device and the file will be sent to the other device immediately. The receiving device beeps and the file opens.
Share via iCloud Drive
In addition to sending files, you can also share files to continue working on it on another device. This works via iCloud Drive, a function within Apple’s cloud service. Make sure you’re signed in to the same iCloud account with all your devices. On the Mac, log in to System Preferences, Apple ID. Make sure you have a check mark in front of the option iCloud Drive. click on Options to exclude certain apps. This can help keep your iCloud Drive from filling up unnecessarily with files from apps you don’t want to share with other devices. You only have 5 GB of space in iCloud by default, space that you have to share with all kinds of iCloud services such as online backups of your iPhone, photo backups from your mobile devices and emails that you want available on all your devices. In iOS you will find the option at Settings, [je naam], iCloud, iCloud Drive.
In an Apple app on your Mac, such as Pages or Numbers, you can now easily save a file to your iCloud Drive by pressing for Archive, Save to choose and take care of that behind Location the option iCloud Drive is selected. In the iOS version of an app, you can now immediately open this file and continue working on it.
Not only Apple apps support iCloud Drive, programs like Word and Excel can store files in iCloud Drive. You save a file in the normal way, but just make sure you select your iCloud Drive folder as the location. For example, in Word you choose Archive, Save and select in the left column iCloud Drive below iCloud.
Collaborate on documents
Another option is to work on a document with other people. In an Apple app you will almost always find this option by clicking Part, Collaborate with others to click. A pop-up screen indicates how you want to send a collaboration invitation. You will find the usual options here again Mail, Messages and AirDrop. You can also go on Copy link Click and paste the link into a program of your choice. Also click on Sharing options. Here you determine the rights of someone who receives an invitation and whether they can also invite others to work on the file. Bee Accessible for is the standard option Only people you invite selected. You can also choose Everyone who has the link here. This is useful if it concerns an invitation to a party, reception or meeting that also needs to reach people with whom you have no contact yourself. In this case, you probably want to get behind Jurisdiction the option Read only Selecting. Is the option Can make changes selected, people with access can make changes to the file.
Mail Drop
If you want to send large files, you don’t necessarily have to switch to a service like WeTransfer. Apple itself has the function Mail Drop. However, you will not find it as an app in macOS. When you want to attach a large file to an email in the Mail app and you press the send button, the app will report that the file is too large to send as a normal email. You can choose the option in the pop-up screen Use Mail Drop. The attachment will now be uploaded to Apple’s servers and will remain there for 30 days before being automatically deleted again. The recipient does not need to have an Apple computer to receive the file; the email contains a link to where he can download the file.
From Mac to Android
